Yes!!! Talk about it and no I am not talking about the album by Mr Incredible (M.I Abaga) but really how well do you drop it? (Someone said like its hot..oh yeah…that was Snoop Dogg or better still Snoop Lion). Moving on, as a musician/artist management company, ask yourself, do you make people hunger for your work or you just drop the song without bothering who cares to take a bite or empty the plate. Is it something worth talking about or there is nothing to talk about because no one knows except your family and friends? Would it be worth it if you make a conscious effort to get people anticipating your latest body of song? (Even if some bad belle would only do so for the chance of laughing at the song if it is crap; well that is the point you ensure your music can speak for itself). You definitely don’t want your body of work dead on arrival, so here are a very few tips on how to keep the water hot until your coffee is ready to be brewed…
- SOCIAL MEDIA:
This topic needs no further introduction and no matter your brand awareness, you cannot ignore this tool. With the knowledge of having several channels of reaching your listeners, this is a tool that many do not capitalize on. As easy as the words Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube etc are easy to pronounce, using them as a tool to drive growth for your music requires a conscious effort. The social media serves as a great tool to keep the anticipation level for your work in high spirit, maintain high level of engagement when the song drops, track feedback after the song. In Nigeria alone, over 48% (59 million) of the population is on social media and yes they live in Nigeria. However, the professionalism of your content development team/pr would be tested in this area because everyday, a lot of contents go viral on the internet so it is left for you to be the red apple in the box filled with green apples. Simply put, get creative!!!
2. RADIO/TV TOUR:
This would largely depend on what body of work you are releasing (audio or video or both). Regardless of the technological evolution, this remains a valid channel of reaching out to a large audience. Most people own televisions in their houses and will get to see your television interview. Higher percentage of people listen to a song for the first time on a radio station before going ahead to download it online and the same could apply for the Television channel. Establishing a good relationship with OAPs sequel to the release of your song would be really useful in increasing your number of listeners. How? By attending interviews to talk about past body of works, letting people know about the new one coming soon would serve as a tool to raise the expectations of people. However, watch out for an important warnings in the conclusion.
3. MERCHANDISE:
“Awoof dey run belle” they say but people still like am. Who does not like to add a nice T-shirt, baseball hat or snap-back to their wardrobe or a fancy knap sack to help carry items, even phone recharge cards still work magic (but be careful not to abuse this tool). Yes, this may be costly, however, it does create a form of brand resonance for your fans which is a point whereby your fans are not just people who like your music but have a form of emotional connection with your work. Again, this is highly determined by what type of content you deploy to drive this across, especially when it is not just seen as a tool to increase fan number but to giveback, to show your appreciation for the support so far. Don’t forget the warnings in the conclusion….
4. BLOGS
The amount of time Nigerians spend on blogs is unimaginable, hence, why some make a lot of money and even create applications to lock their subscribers in, hence, you can not underestimate the reach these channel can help you attain. Yes, some of them require you to pay especially when you are still very new in the industry (if not, how dem go take chop?) but this also gives you access to their followers who could be people that have not listened to your song before or heard your music. Send them contents that would help generate anticipation towards your song especially one that puts your face, name and music how there.
In conclusion, yes, the important warnings I would like to warn you about, yes goes nothing. First, and very important, make sure your song is worth every buzz you create. In marketing, we say, a new client is easier to gain than a client who left your brand due to bad experience. So make sure that song is worth every ounce of kilobyte of data they spend in streaming or downloading the song. Secondly, do not build your anticipation for too long, else you would find out you are the only one left in your vehicle when you get to the bus stop (release of your song). Finally, I know this is not going to be easy to mix this with making music or trying to manage an artiste and that is why Gusto Entertainment is here, a hub of geniuses who spend time thinking, developing, trashing and refining ideas to help build awareness for your brand. Why not contact them today?